local education

Lunches for students in Sauk Rapids-Rice schools could cost five cents more next school year. State and Federal law requires schools to charge a minimum weighted average price for paid lunches.

Emotions ran high as students, parents and community members voiced their concerns with recent cases of alleged bullying and discrimination at Tech High School. An open forum was hosted by the St. Cloud Muslim community on Monday night with guests from the U.S. Department of Education.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations is hosting on open forum on Monday regarding the recent protests at Tech High School in St. Cloud. On February 19th, a group of mostly Somali students at Tech High School walked out of class to protest alleged discrimination at the school.

A former Sauk Rapids-Rice High School teacher is charged with soliciting sex from a boy he met at a theater group. Thirty-four-year-old Andrew Hasty, is charged with three felonies after police say he asked a 15-year-old boy to send him photos of his genitals.

The St. Cloud Area School District is considering options for a new early childhood center building, including one that would place it at Clark Field. Designs revealed by the district say the building on Clark Field would cost around $25.3 million. The proposed three level building would have 95,000 square feet of space and a 250 space parking lot.

Madison Elementary in St. Cloud could see renovations in the future. The updates are expected to cost around $1-million. The first phase would happen this summer and includes adding two new classrooms, two special education rooms and more space to the kitchen area.

With the St. Cloud Area School District looking to build a new Tech High School, the Tech Alumni Association is working to preserve the traditions and memories of the current building.

The St. Cloud Tech Speech team has a longstanding history of success. The team is continuing that success, recently taking first in the Central Lakes Conference Championship and the Minnesota State High School League 8AA South Subsection competition.

The St. Cloud area school district is moving to buy over 60 acres of land for a possible new Tech High School. The board approved the purchase of 62.12 acres of land near 33rd Street South.

The St. Cloud Area School District approved a conflict of interest policy during their meeting on Thursday night.